Impelling device for games



NOV. 8, 1932. s, GRAVES ET AL 1,887,263

IMPELLING DEVICE FOR GAMES Filed Dec. 2, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 8, 1932.

s. A. GRAVES ET AL 1,887,263

IMPELLING DEVICE FOR GAMES Filed Dec. 2, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .6. I g/w Patented Nov. 8, 1932 SAMUEL A. GRAVES nrinsonnosnan, OITWORCESTVER, fiasshonusnrrs IMP LLING pEvrcE non ear/ins Applicationfiled December a 1930; sees; in). 9, 4}

i This invention relates to aidevice or stick for use in games, in which a ballis projected gver a game boarder the like, for shooting the all. 2 r The principal objects: of the invention are to provide a game stick of this kind having means by which, when the operator moves an operating element, no matter whether he presses on it slowly or rapidly, a plunger will be shot forward byspring pressure to impel the ball; to provide means 'whereby the amount of spring pressure employed and thereforethe energy imparted tothe stroke will not be under the control of the operating device but will be adjustable by other means;

' to provide means whereby the motion of the drawings, in which r Fig. 1 is acentral vertical sectional View of a playing implement constructed in accordance withthis invention and showing the improved ball, the parts being at rest;

Fig. 2isa similar view-showing the implement in the position just ready to operate; Figs-3 and 4 areitwo' similar views of'a' modified form, and r i Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of two other forms.

The implement is intended ;for use in any kind of a game in whichaball orpuck" is driven overa board or the like, but isparticib larl adapted for use asa golf stick for parlor gol games and also-for so-called miniature golf. Of course, thestick is made in different sizes according to the game that is to be played. The idea is to provide an operating element which can be moved rapidly or slowly and in either case the same impact will be given to 1 the ball. The adjustment of the stroke issecured in another way as will ape.

- Referring first to Figs; 1 and,2,the golf stick there shown is provided with a' hollow handle 10, which may be long enough to reach to thej'ground from the hands of the person standing, if it is to be used in ordinary minia-- ture golf,.but is made much smaller'if itis to UNITED I STATES PATENT g be used for a table game ofv golf orother game. 7 I

This is in the form of a tube havingatthe bottoma hollow cylindrical horizontal head 11.. In the tube there is an operating element 7 12 projecting from the top thereof and there .is a partition 13 secured to the handle 10 by one or more projections 14. On the top of the partition 13 is a'compression spring 1 5 and a rod 16 secured to the operating element 12 and projecting freely down through the.

spring and partition 13 serving as aguide for keeping the spring from buckling.

I .On the bottom of the rod 16 is an operatmg plunger 17 having a notch l8'provided with an inclined lower surface 19. As will appear later this notch cooperates with a lever 20 having aproj ecting'operating end 21 with an inclined lower surface 22 m slant- 1ng upper surface 23." This lever is pivoted on a stud 24 and has an end 25' which extends into a notch'35 in a hammer head 26 which impels theballf The head 26 is lo-- cated in the hollow cylindrical head 11 of the stock and'is' guided by the interior thereof and is provided witha reduced end' 27 which pro ects through the end of the he'ad of the stockand impels' theba'll. Behindthe head 26 is a coiled compression spring 28 and'a screw cap29 fits on the end of the'head I1 and can :be screwed out and in toadjust the compression of'the spring 28. 9n the other end there is a cap 30 which is perforated to receive the reduced end 27 a of the head- 26 and is also screwed in position on the head 11.

We have shown aball 31 whic'his provided with. a spherical cavityin the center containing mercury 32. This cavityfis completely filled with mercury and themercury isintroduced through an opening 33 which is plugged up later.-

ballis o-f anydesired kind of wood. The reason for making' this ball of wood and weightingit is t'h'atfthe lug ordinary ball, even if made of the heaviest wood, is too light when used on a small game board or the like. When a ball is desired which is heavier than wood, other materials might be selected but we find that the weight of the ball in comparison to its volume is very easily controlled by this part of the invention.-

In the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the rod 16 is extended down to provide a controlling plunger 36 which has an end '37 provided with a trapezoidal outline, a slanting surface .7 38 at the top and a slanting surface 42 at the rear. In this case the plunger 39 is hollow and cylindrical and provided with a slot 40 for this operating end 37. i The rear wall of this slot is slanting at 41, as shown and the plunger 36 is forced down to allow the rear Vcan be-forced out is limited by the -en-' 'end of the head 37 to pass under the slanting surface 41 when the spring 28 will force out the plunger 39. The distance that it gag'ement of the front end of the surface 411againstthe lower end of the rod 36. This slanting surface 41 is of the same slant as the rear surface 42 of the head 37 so that when the rod 36 is forced down the plunger 39 will first be forced back as'shown in Fig. 3. The surface 38 is made slanting so that when this plunger 36 is pushed downwardly it will force the plunger 39Vback to theVposition shown in 'Fig. 4 before it lets it snap forward.

It willbe seen therefore, that in both cases the cap 29 can be adjusted to control the energy with which the stroke delivered and that in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the cap 30 can be adjusted to control the length of the stroke. The operating button or member 12 is pushed down and theenergy with which the stroke is delivered :is not controlled in any way by the rapidity; of depression of this operating member. The parts are easily set after being operated by pulling this operating member 12 upwardly. The device .has few parts and the ball' can be made to have the desired amount ofIweightVa-nd no 'Theformshown in Fig. 5 is similar to that shown in Figs. 3 and 4 but, more desirable. The head 47-is vertical at the back and is horizontal on top; The horizontal plunger is recessed and has a slanting surface 48 sloping in a direction opposite to the surface 41. A collar 43 on the rod 46v is so located as to limit the upward motion of the rod 46 so that the head 47 never rises to the top of the is compressed. I V

are aware of the fact that other modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, we do notwish to be limited in this respect but-what we do claimis 1. In an impelling device for the purpose describe'd,the combination of a. plunger for delivering a blow, a spring behind the plunger for forcing the plunger forward, means for holding the plunger in position for delivering. a blow, hand-operated means by which the plunger is forced-back to compress the spring and then, by the same movement of the operating means, released to deliver theblow and means for resetting the plunger when the hand-operated means is withdrawn to normal position. V V

2. An impelling devicefor the purpose described comprising a hollow stick and operatingmember at the top thereof, a horizontal plunger at the bottom, aspring behind the plunger forforcing it outto deliver a blow, means for holding theplunger back against the; compressed spring and means operated by said operating member for releasing the holding means and. allowing the plunger to be forced forward by the spring.

' 3. An impelling device for the'purpose described comprising a stick and an operating 'member at the top thereof, a horizontal plunger at the bottom, aspring normally pressing said plunger,a lever connected with the plunger for holding it back and compressing the spring and means operated by the operating member for suddenly releasing the lever and thereby freeing the spring.

Q4. An impelling device for the purposes described comprising a stick and an operating member, a horizontal plunger, a spring nor- .mally pressinggsaid plunger, a lever con- .nected withthe plunger for holding it-back and compressing the spring, means operated by the operating member for suddenly releasing the lever and thereby freeing the spring for projecting the plunger, and means for adjusting the space within which the spring 5. An impelling device for the purpose described comprising an operating member, a horizontal plunger, a spring behind the plunger for forcing it out to deliver a blow, means for holding the plunger back against the compressed spring,-means operated by V said operating member for releasing the holdlng means and allowing the plunger to be forced forward by the spring,and a screw cap on the end of said head adapted to be adjusted in and out to control the energy'with which V thespring will operate the plunger.

6. In an impelling device of the character described, the combination of a hollow stick,

force the plunger outwardly, said plunger having a notch, and alever having an'e'nd f projecting into the notch for controlling the plunger and having an upper end adapted to enter the notch in the first named plunger.

7. In an impelling device of the character described, the combination ofa hollow stick for use in moving the impelling device around and manipulating it, having a partitionacross the same inside, a rod slidable through the said partition, a spring supported by the partition above it, an operating member s1id-- able in the top of the stick and connected with said rod and also resting on the top'of said spring, a plunger below the partition on the lower end of said rod and having a recess therein with a slanting lower side, atrans-- verse hollow head at the bottom of said stick having a cylindrical passage therethrough, a plunger movable in said passage, a spring in the head tending to force the plunger outwardly, and a lever for controlling the plunger and having an upper end adapted to enter the notch in the first named plungerv and provided with a slanting lower surface by which the slanting surface of that notch will force back the upper end of the lever when the operating member is raised to reset the device.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto aflixed our signatures.

SAMUEL A. GRAVES. NELSON MUSLAR. 

